(Sold) This is a 1946 Blue Diamond Parker Vacumatic Major fountain pen in Golden Pearl celluloid, with a 14k gold Fine nib. The pen is in a new-old-stock (NOS) condition, but I did restore it, as the filling mechanism had hardened over time, and the nib needed a tune-up. The pen was disassembled, cleaned, the filling mechanism overhauled, the nib tuned, and I polished it gently with a soft cloth. However, you can be sure that the pen has never been inked up.

Parker Vacumatic Major Fountain Pen, Golden Pearl, F (NOS), uncapped

How would you like to be able to walk into a fountain pen store, seventy years ago, and pick out a brand-new Parker Vacumatic from inside a beautiful glass display case? I know I'd love the opportunity! Well, I have the next best thing for you today, a new-old-stock, unused Parker Vacumatic Major in gorgeous Golden Pearl celluloid, with a fantastic 14k gold Fine nib. The pen is as beautiful today as it was the day it left the factory, literally. Most pens that have spent seventy years in storage do not write well, which is why I also restored and tuned the pen's ink and feed system, so that it's ready either for your display case or your favorite ink, whichever you prefer.

Over the decades, the rubber diaphragm has hardened and, as a result, the filling mechanism was "sticky." I decided to take the pen apart and restore it, the way I usually do, so that the pen is as gorgeous as it is functional when you receive it. I hope this gives you that incredible feeling of going back in time to the time when the fountain pen ruled the office.

Needless to say, the pen is in impeccable condition. The celluloid is so vibrant, so full of chatoyancy, so smooth. Barrel transparency is perfect. You can watch the pen getting filled, and you can watch how you favorite ink sloshes inside it. Of course, once you've bought the pen, you can fill it with whatever ink you want, but I'd encourage you to avoid permanent, cellulose-reactive inks, in particular, as they will stain the material, thus making the barrel opaque. Gold-filled trim is perfect, the imprint is strong.

The pen writes beautifully. Parker tuned its nibs in the 1940s to write at the lightest touch, and that's where this pen performs optimally. However, it will take greater pressure in stride and reward you with a gentle, pleasant "spring" and you might even get a hint of line variation. With light pressure, the pen writes a confident, consistent line of about 0.3 mm, but it will widen with increased pressure. I think this would be an ideal pen with which to enjoy the shading and sheen of your favorite inks, but less ideal as a daily office writer, esp. on poor-quality copy paper.